Bloomfield mayor: Suspend police Internal Affairs investigations

"What I did was I sent a memo to the township administrator, recommending that all internal affairs investigations hereby be suspended," Venezia told Bloomfield Life on Tuesday. "I fully understand and the governing body fully understands that this is just a recommendation."

According to news reports, the letter was sent to Ehrenburg on March 3.

Township Administrator Ted Ehrenburg has not responded to the memorandum, and no further action has been taken, Venezia said. Ehrenburg could not be reached for comment.

"We just felt, with everything going on, that this was the best course of action for the township," the mayor said.

In recent months, the Bloomfield Police Department has faced turmoil including two police officers accused of abusing military leave; Bloomfield Police Chief Christopher Goul's sudden retirement plans; Acting Chief James Behre's accusing Councilman Carlos Bernard of political interference; Behre being forced to take a leave of absence; and two officers charged with misconduct and falsifying police reports, based on a dash cam video of a 2012 arrest.

In the military leave case, the township dropped the administrative charges. In the dash cam case, officers Sean Courter and Orlando Trinidad are scheduled to appear in Superior Court on Monday, March 24.

On March 3, the township announced an agreement with SDM Protective Consulting Group LLC to provide a management study of the Bloomfield Police Department. The study, which is expected to cost $80,000, was scheduled to begin this week and take about six months.

Former Newark Police Director Sam DeMaio will lead the study.

"I am confident that 99 percent of our police department is made up of good officers," Venezia said in a statement at the time. "That being said, there can be no higher priority than public safety, and I am confident that Director DeMaio is the right man at the right time to help us move the Bloomfield Police Department forward."

The author is a staff writer at the Nutley Sun. Email: kukaj@northjersey.com.

Bloomfield mayor: Suspend police Internal Affairs investigations

"What I did was I sent a memo to the township administrator, recommending that all internal affairs investigations hereby be suspended," Venezia told Bloomfield Life on Tuesday. "I fully understand and the governing body fully understands that this is just a recommendation."

According to news reports, the letter was sent to Ehrenburg on March 3.

Township Administrator Ted Ehrenburg has not responded to the memorandum, and no further action has been taken, Venezia said. Ehrenburg could not be reached for comment.

"We just felt, with everything going on, that this was the best course of action for the township," the mayor said.

In recent months, the Bloomfield Police Department has faced turmoil including two police officers accused of abusing military leave; Bloomfield Police Chief Christopher Goul's sudden retirement plans; Acting Chief James Behre's accusing Councilman Carlos Bernard of political interference; Behre being forced to take a leave of absence; and two officers charged with misconduct and falsifying police reports, based on a dash cam video of a 2012 arrest.

In the military leave case, the township dropped the administrative charges. In the dash cam case, officers Sean Courter and Orlando Trinidad are scheduled to appear in Superior Court on Monday, March 24.

On March 3, the township announced an agreement with SDM Protective Consulting Group LLC to provide a management study of the Bloomfield Police Department. The study, which is expected to cost $80,000, was scheduled to begin this week and take about six months.

Former Newark Police Director Sam DeMaio will lead the study.

"I am confident that 99 percent of our police department is made up of good officers," Venezia said in a statement at the time. "That being said, there can be no higher priority than public safety, and I am confident that Director DeMaio is the right man at the right time to help us move the Bloomfield Police Department forward."

The author is a staff writer at the Nutley Sun. Email: kukaj@northjersey.com.